The Response of a Small Rural Community in the Midwest to the Recommendations of the Anglo-American Conference on the Teaching of English.

Wilhite, Jack Edward

In order to determine the extents to which a small rural community agreed with and had implemented the recommendations of the 1966 Anglo-American Conference on the Teaching of English (Dartmouth Seminar), five questions were formulated: (1) What is the community view of the recommendations? (2) Do differences in perception of curriculum exist among groups in the survey? (3) What is the relationship between the recommendations and the way English is viewed and taught in the community? (4) What factors are responsible for implementation or non-implementation of the recommendations? (5) What suggestions evolving from the study for various groups attempt to influence curriculum change? Two questionnaire forms were used--Form I for English teachers, administrators, board of education members, community leaders, and parents, and Form II for secondary school students. Findings note that parents are often inhibitive and that more time and effort should be spent in educating the public concerning the best teaching practices. (Author/JM)